Vampires in the Home
by King Henry the V
Summary: Reedited. Nathan Isaacs, an ancient HL Immortal, has created a family out of 'domesticated' BtVS vampires. Circumstance forces him to reexamine his decision. Can Vampires and Immortals really live together, or did he accidentally start the next Apocalypse
1. Chapter 1, Buffalo, NY

AN: This story incorporates the worlds used in _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ and _Highlander the Series_. Canon characters from both shows may make appearances, but the focus is on original characters.

Chapter 1 – Buffalo, NY – May, 2004

Friday

It was a beautiful city. Many Americans preferred the sheer size of New York City, or the "culture" of Rome or Paris. All of them were impressive in their own right, but Nathan preferred Buffalo. Maybe it was the pristine streets – in many neighborhoods, lawns were ungroomed and windows were barred, to say nothing of garbage in the streets – or perhaps the weather – daylight was an endangered resource in anything but the summer months. No, it was definitely the food. "Spicy" was the way meals were cooked.

Nathan walked down Chippewa Street. It was too early for the bars to be full, which was exactly how he liked them. The bouncer of a nearby bar looked at him oddly. People were suspicious of long coats nowadays, especially with the fear of terrorism in the United States. That was one place to avoid tonight. He decided to skip the bars.

Further along the street, closer to where he was parked, stood a coffee house that he was rather fond of. There was a Japanese restaurant across the street, but he had never eaten there. Nathan sighed and resigned himself to a few hours of mocha something or another.

One advantage to wearing a long coat was pocket space. Nathan had enough room for his wallet, loose change, a couple of novels, and a cavalry sword. He resigned himself to a few hours of reading.

Xxxxx

He had a first edition of _Moby Dick_ somewhere. That book stayed in storage. The copy Nathan was reading he had recently picked up from Barnes & Noble. Somehow, he had never read the book before. Now he was yawning over Ishmael's experience sharing his bed with a strange man. Who defined "must-reads" and "classic literature" was beyond Nathan.

Somebody's watch beeped, Nathan's cue to check the time, even though he already knew what his own watch would read. Eleven o'clock. "You look engrossed in your book," said a voice. Nathan looked up.

"Yeah, ten pages in two hours. Great read." A smiling woman stood above him. "I think I've actually been asleep, and just didn't notice." That she didn't react was probably his first sign something was wrong with her. Or he needed to work on that "prized sense of humor."

"My friends think you're too dangerous to talk to. I think you're worth a shot." Nathan shrugged and put his book into an outside pocket. "You want to talk ... somewhere else?" Women liked his blond hair and chiseled cheek bones, so he was not particularly surprised.

"Where did you have in mind?"

"A place we can drink something more potent." There was a predatory glint in her eye. She was hungry for something.

"Alright," Nathan said. Better him than someone unsuspecting. He followed her outside. "Actually, I know a quieter bar than the ones on Chippewa. This way's faster." He indicated a dark, empty side street.

"Sounds delicious."

Once they were a fair distance down the street, he stopped. "You can stop the pretense."

"Pretense?" she asked, turning to face him. "Very well." Her face transformed. And then she became dust. She had barely had time to recognize the blur that moved toward her neck as a sword. Nathan replaced the blade in its hiding place.

"I guess your friends were right." Vampires could sense the danger Immortals represented, even if they did not understand why. Occasional fools ignored the warning. Nathan sighed. There would be no revenge. Immortals stayed away from vampires and vice versa, and anyone foolish enough to break with tradition got killed.

In the meantime, it was still early and Nathan was young yet. Time to try that quiet bar he was headed to.

Xxxxx

Some foods were a bit like love. No matter how much you liked them the first time, they just got better every time. Hot wings were like that. "Enough wings there?" asked a woman's voice. Nathan wiped any stray hot sauce off his face before looking up. She was more a girl than a woman, eighteen at best. "Are you willing to share?" He considered. Eight wings down, twelve to go.

"Sure, why not? What do you want to drink?" He flagged over a waiter. "They close the kitchen at twelve, so you should order any more food now, too." The waiter came over and took the woman's order. He checked her id, which Nathan noted was fake. It earned her a smirk and no drink. "I hope you didn't pay too much for that," Nathan said after the waiter left to get her a coke.

She smiled sheepishly. "Eighty dollars. It works in convenience stores. You want to see it?" Nathan took a closer look. A lamination machine and color printer could produce the same results.

"Eighty-five cents. That's what it's worth." He returned the id, and fetched a couple of cheap driver's licenses from his wallet. "When I was in college, I picked these up. Sixty Canadian." The girl inspected them.

"Are you a salesman or something?"

"Nah. Souvenir IDs from Toronto. I keep them to piss off any cops who pull me over."

She laughed. "Sounds smart."

"Was that your real name on the fake?" She said it was. "I'm Nathan. I don't think any of the IDs you saw had my name on them. Have some wings before they get cold."

After they finished eating, the girl said, "It's been fun, but I need to get going." She was eying a couple heading toward the door. "See you here next week?"

All Immortals were connected to life through their Quickening. With that connection, Nathan could tell that of the couple, only the male was alive. "Is he a friend of yours? I don't think you can help him, Heather."

Heather narrowed her eyes. "You'd be surprised by what I can do." She was trying to look dangerous. Nathan knew better than to underestimate someone based on appearance, but a vampire was not an enemy to take lightly. On the other hand, she understood what he meant by helping him. She at least had a hunch about that vampire. He left a pair of twenties on the table after Heather exited the room. She might need backup.

He caught her walking around the building. The vampire would be there. Nathan followed, waiting at the corner. "Is this a group event?" Heather asked.

"You brought us a snack, too?" asked an obnoxious male voice. More than one vampire.

"Just some stake," Heather replied. Nathan rolled his eyes at the quip. He rounded the corner and watched the fight.

Four vampires, one fleeing bystander, and a fighting Heather. She did not cower at their true forms, the ridged faces and yellow eyes. Actually, the vampires looked overmatched. Heather grabbed one vampire by the wrist and twisted her hips so the vamp ended up on the sidewalk. A stake appeared from concealment and turned him to dust.

A male and female vampire held back while the third charged in. Right into Heather's stake. The remaining vampires ran in opposite directions. Heather chased the female away from Nathan. The male spotted Nathan and moved to run past him. Nathan grabbed his arm and spun him into the building wall. "I can't let you go free. You're too dangerous."

The vampire broke Nathan's hold and charged forward. His dagger buried into the vampire's heart, causing the vampire to fall back in pain. It was not a wood, but still the demon's most vulnerable spot. Nathan dropped the knife and drew his cavalry sword. The vampire knocked the sword out of his hand before he could attack.

"You're out of your league, boy," Nathan said. "That feeling in the back of your head, telling you to run? Listen to it before it's too late." The vampire bared his fangs and took a bite out of Nathan's neck – before being thrown several feet back. Nathan's Quickening protected him.

He retrieved his sword. "Tasty?" He approached the vampire, who was just getting up to his knees. A quick swing and the vampire collapsed into a pile of dust. Nathan hid his sword and dagger in his coat and sleeve. He looked back up the street to see Heather staring at him. "You're stronger than you look."

"I didn't put it together before. How did you recognize the vampire? Slayers can sense them, if we concentrate. You're not a Slayer."

"Slayers, plural? Is that possible?"

"Since 2003." For almost two years, then. "I'm in the city to see if we're needed here. I don't know what you are, but you're obviously a Champion. I think you can handle Buffalo."

"Champion?" That was what Cyrus called himself. Something about defending humanity from demon-kind. "You've got the wrong man. Cyrus is on the West Coast."

"Then why did you dust him?" she asked in a very accusatory tone.

"In case you needed the help. So you're here to look for vampires, get free food, and sneak in some alcohol? Very noble." If Nathan was not grinning, she might have taken offense.

"Thanks. But you haven't told me who you are yet."

Nathan always quoted his mentor when asked that question. "Just a guy."

"A guy with a saber and a wicked-looking knife."

"So long as you don't call me a Jedi, I guess that's fine. How old are you, Heather? Really."

"Nineteen." He studied her face. "Eighteen." It was possible, but Nathan was not sure. He raised an eyebrow. "Sixteen." That he readily believed. Younger than he had first thought, but still a plausible number. "Stop avoiding the question."

Nathan shrugged. "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy," he quoted. "I'm not oblivious to blood-sucking monsters, that doesn't make me a Champion. Most people aren't so black-and-white."

"You're wrong," she said. "You just don't know it yet." Heather approached him and twirled a finger in the collar of his coat. "Hey, can I stay with you tonight?" There was a certain promise in her eyes.

"If you made it to my age, I'd consider."

"Twenty-six?" she asked. Nathan started to walk off. "There are a lot more Slayers now, it is possible."

"You're a nice girl, just not my type. You attract too much attention."

"Says you. How many vampires have you killed tonight?"

"Two."

"This month?"

Nathan frowned. The number that came to mind was a little high for his liking. When had he started seeking them out? That was the only explanation, considering his first vampire encounter came a millennium into his life. "Four," he lied. "The only time I see them is Friday nights."

Heather looked at him skeptically. "I'm sure." She crossed her arms. "Can I stay at your place tonight?"

"I think that's illegal in this country. Good luck with your quest."

Xxxxx

A buzz caught his attention. It was not the auditory kind, but one he felt in the back of his neck and deep in his abdomen. An Immortal was nearby. He stopped walking and scanned the streets. Only one person was approaching. Nathan held out an arm to keep Heather behind him. "What is it?" she asked, pushing past him.

"Letting a little girl fight your battles?" asked the approaching man.

Nathan kept his hands in plain sight. "I'm not looking for a fight. I don't even know who you are." Heather stopped and looked back.

"Send the girl home. It's past her curfew anyway."

Heather protested, loudly.

"Shut it," Nathan ordered. "He's out of your league. And he's human." She wasn't happy, but Heather left. Back to her hotel or apartment, Nathan hoped. Probably on with her vampire hunt. "I've had enough fighting today, I don't need to kill you, too."

"Don't be so confident," the Immortal said, drawing his sword. It was a design that was popular when Rome was. The Immortal probably chose it to give the illusion of age. Either way, Nathan knew better than to assume that older always meant more dangerous.

Nathan drew his blade. Cavalry swords had the disadvantage of being single-edged, but his was different. Even though back edge was not as effective as the front, it was a small advantage that had won him duels. "My name is Luther Postuci. I'm you're death." Luther did not sound like a Roman name. Irrelevant.

Nathan's attack came more quickly than Luther was prepared for. The challenger knew he was overmatched. He stayed on the defensive until his sword was knocked from his hands. "Wouldn't this be a good time to tell me your name?"

"There can be only one." This time, there was a corpse. It was why Nathaniel ben Yitzhak despised taking heads. A blue glow enveloped the body and the air around it. Lightning flashed, destroying what street lamps there were. Store front windows exploded as Nathan's body absorbed Luther's Quickening. He fell to his knees in agony and ecstasy. It was why he loved taking heads.

A rush greater than any drug stayed with him after the Quickening died down. Vampires claimed to feel the same way when they fed. Nathan grinned. The difference was he didn't do it by choice. For him, the high that came with a Quickening was a bonus, a reward for staying alive.

When he came to, he did not know how much time had passed. His watch was no help, it was fried. So much for digital watches. If Heather asked to stay with him now, he lacked the willpower to say no. He was glad she went home.

"Want to explain the light show?"

Nathan now had the strength to get to his feet. "Not today." He picked a route back to his car.

"What can there be only one of?"

"I thought that was obvious."

"He was not human!"

Nathan paused. "Nathaniel ben Yitzhak. Nathan Isaacs. That's who I am. He was Luther Postuci. Nothing else." He heard the scraping of metal. He turned around and saw the Roman blade in her hand. "That's a replica. It can't be more than a hundred years old." She dropped the weapon.

"I wasn't going to keep it! Why do you keep avoiding my questions?" Nathan waved her off and continued back to his car. Heather followed. "I'm not leaving you until you tell me."

"Then stay here." She, of course, did not. His car was more expensive than Heather expected, a European sports car. A Lotus was out of place in Buffalo, but Nathan was particularly attached to the Espirit.

"What do you do for a living?" Heather asked when she saw the car.

"Dentist." He glanced at her gaping jaw.

"A dentist slash demon hunter?"

"Heather, I'm going home to sleep. Following me home is not a good idea."

"If you don't come clean, you have no choice." She crossed her arms.

He unlocked the Lotus with a keychain remote. "Get in."

Xxxxx

The Lotus Espirit pulled into the garage. It was a nice neighborhood in Amherst, a place rated the Safest Town in America. "Why do you have a Subaru?" Heather asked. There was a WRX right next to his Espirit in the garage.

"Snow. We're in Buffalo, after all. I should warn you about my family."

Heather shrugged. "It can't be any worse than mine."

Nathan remembered the family that raised him. They were priests at the Great Temple more than two thousand years ago. "No, the people I live with are a little strange. And vampires." Heather froze. "Don't attack them." The Slayer agreed, reluctantly.

Nathan opened the door from the garage to the den. A young woman waiting on the other side rushed over to give him a brief hug. "You're early, Papa! Who's she?" She glared at Heather.

"Too loud, Eve," he reprimanded. "Yvonne, this is Heather – a Slayer." A hiss from across the room caught all of their attention. "It's okay, Tab, she's not here to stake you."

She eyed the Slayer. "If you say so, _Sensei_. Just keep her away from me."

"I'll be a good girl," Heather said. "I promise."

Nathan walked passed Yvonne to kiss Tabitha on the top of the head. "I took a Quickening," he whispered to her.

Tabitha's eyes went wide. "Eve, show Heather the guest room." Tabitha gripped Nathan's arm strongly enough to bruise. "You're coming with me." Nathan let himself be dragged upstairs to his bedroom. "Sit." She forced him into an armchair. "Now _Sensei_, remember to stay while I get you a drink." Nathan smiled gratefully.

Tabitha came back in the room a few minutes later with her arms crossed and an angry look on her face. "I wasn't twenty-one yet when I was bit, so Diana said I can't go into the liquor cabinet. Can you talk to her?" Nathan buried his face in his hand.

"Tabitha wanted to use the crystal," Diana explained from the doorway. The eldest vampire in the household knelt beside Nathan's armchair and handed him a glass of liquor. He took a long drink; rum was not classy, but it was his beverage of choice after a Quickening. "Was he strong, Nathaniel?" She pronounced his name with a strong Semitic accent.

"Stop pestering _Sensei_!"

"I feel cold," Nathan said, completely out of touch with the conversation. It was warmth he craved, not a woman's company. He drained his glass. "Thanks for getting rid of Heather, Tab. I wouldn't have been able to stop myself." Tabitha grinned, pleased to be useful.

"You want the bottle?" Diana asked, refilling his cup.

Nathan shook his head and downed the rum. "I'll be fine. Make sure Lau stays away from Heather. He won't listen to Tab." There was a pecking order among the vampires, according to age.

"_Sempai_ studies martial arts for self-control, not so he can pick fights," Tabitha said on Lau's behalf.

"A Slayer can't be comfortable around vampires. I don't want him to be accidentally staked." Diana left the room to talk to Lau. "Tab, I'm going to bed. I'll be fine in the morning." He undressed for bed without checking to see if Tabitha left. When he switched off the lights, he saw that she was already gone. Nathan said a quick prayer and climbed under the blanket for a good night's sleep.

Xxxxx

A large pot sat on the stove top. It was an odd sight in a kitchen during breakfast. "Is someone cooking stew?" Heather asked.

"You don't want to know," Yvonne said, adjusting the burner. Heather paled.

"She makes good eggs," Nathan declared. "Eve, that's a request." Yvonne turned to grin at him. "You want an omelet?"

Heather slid into one of the kitchen chairs. "Sure. Thank you." She waited until they both received their omelets before asking any questions. "I appreciate a warm bed, but you're not going to distract me. What are you?"

"He's my Papa." Yvonne turned off the burner and started filling thermoses with what looked like tomato soup. To be honest, it was darker than tomato soup. "He saved me from a brothel forty years ago."

"You're not a vampire, and you don't look like a demon. That leaves ... sorcerer? That explains the lightning."

Yvonne giggled.

Nathan finished his eggs. "Excellent, Eve. I'm always impressed." Heather was staring at him. "Alright. Some people, if they die a violent death, come back to life. Oddly, all of them are foundlings; none ever knew their real parents. These people are Immortal." He waited for Heather to nod before continuing. "All Immortals participate in the Game, a combat tournament to the death. The winner will have ultimate power. Luther Postuci was Immortal."

"And you are, too?" Nathan took a sip of orange juice. "Okay, but there are still two things you haven't explained. First, what happened to that vampire when he bit you."

"Second is the lightning show. It's the same explanation. What makes us different is the Quickening, our Immortal life force. Most Immortals never learn to hone it. On its own, the Quickening can heal almost any wound. That's what knocked out the vampire. If an Immortal takes another Immortal's head, he absorbs the Quickening. That's the light show you saw." Heather rested her chin in her hand.

"I don't know if I believe you."

Diana, Tabitha, and Lau filed into the room. Yvonne distributed thermoses to each of them. Diana drank greedily and finished hers before anyone else even opened theirs. Yvonne already had a second thermos ready for her. "You told her?" Diana asked, glancing at Heather's face. She sat down next to Nathan. "I met Nathaniel in a tavern ... six hundred years ago. Vampires and Immortals don't normally get along. There's a kind of sixth sense that keeps us from really noticing each other. Immortals aren't attracted to us, and we don't find them appetizing.

"We bumped into each other and started talking ... I didn't want to feed on him, I wanted him as a companion. Someone to spend eternity with. I got half of what I wanted."

"I don't get it," Heather interrupted.

"Even vampires want more from the world than meals. I was only a vampire for a few years, and my Sire didn't impress me. Forever was too long to live with him, I needed someone I could share myself with when I wasn't hunting for blood. So when we were alone, I bit Nathaniel's neck." Heather remembered the vampire Nathan had beheaded the night before. "He could have killed me."

Nathan took over the narration. "No. The last time I'd been with someone I really cared for was about two centuries before. And I had a little bit of a crush on Diana. She told me why she'd bitten me. Her speech was much more passionate in French. I explained that I was already Immortal; if she wanted my companionship, she had to stop killing."

"He's been like a brother since then. Two hundred years ago, we adopted Lau. Then Tabitha, and finally Yvonne. We're a family that will never grow old."

"How sweet," Heather said. "You really don't drink human blood?" Diana said they didn't. "Ever? And you don't even have souls. I thought that was impossible."

"Some vampires have a stronger desire for family than others. I'd be surprised if there were any others like us."

"You didn't get exactly what you wanted, though, did you?" Diana raised an eyebrow. "You weren't looking for a brother six hundred years ago, you were looking for a mate."

Diana did not deny it. "They're my family, and I'll take care of them until someone takes my head." Diana placed a hand on Nathan's shoulder. He shrugged it off.

Heather leaned forward. "So if you're Immortal ... age doesn't mean much to you, does it? How young is too young?"

"Two centuries," replied Diana.

Tabitha picked off of her comment. "Divided by ten. If you have to use a fake id to get alcohol, you're too young. Right, _Sensei_?"

"Close enough."

Heather frowned.

"There's nothing for you in Buffalo. You should head home, Slayer." She decided to do exactly that.

Xxxxx

The Following Thursday

The vampires were out for the night. Nathan was always too tired Thursday nights to visit bars or clubs. With the Slayer out of town again, no one in Buffalo was dangerous enough to stake Nathan's family. Not having to worry was great, and the very reason he had a vampire family. He clicked a button on the remote control and changed the channel.

A buzz drew his attention from the television set. His coat and sword were in the basement, which he had turned into an exercise room. The alternative was a cutlass he kept under the couch. Nathan retrieved the weapon. To Nathan's surprise, there was a knock at the front door. He opened the door with his cutlass behind his back.

The woman was a stranger to him, but she recognized Nathan. "You really are one of us," she said. She tried to enter, and was stopped by Nathan's cutlass.

"Who are you?"

She took a step back, then reached up and touched her eyes, one at a time. She was removing colored contact lenses. "Surprised to see me, Rabbi?"

Green eyes were rare, especially rare among brunettes. "Laurette." He lowered the cutlass.

"You were in the British Navy?"

"Marine." Laurette stepped inside.

"Nice place." Nathan closed and locked the front door. "A little big for one person, isn't it?"

"It would be, if I lived alone." She glanced at Nathan. "You don't have to stay in the foyer. There's a living room just up ahead." Nathan ushered her into the next room. Laurette found a place on the couch. "I had hoped you wouldn't be murdered. Not all pre-Immortals die violently."

Laurette's eyes glazed over. "That hadn't occurred to me. When I heard you were Immortal, I couldn't accept it. If you were Immortal, you knew what I was going to be. You must have left because you didn't want to know me as an Immortal."

Xxxxx

Circa 1200 CE

Nathan knew enough about religion to pass as a rabbi to the few Jews living in town. While he had in fact been a rabbi at one time, he was hesitant about his current identity. Religion was probably what kept him going from day-to-day, but it was also deeply personal. What right did he have to tell others how to approach it? Not to mention he did not own a bible in any form.

Another aspect to his current identity that Nathan was uncomfortable with was that rabbis rarely had much wealth of their own. They lived off the contributions of their congregation. Since Nathan's congregation was all of two families, he felt like some kind of parasite. Never one to wholly rely on others, Nathan helped out as much as he could. But it never felt like enough.

A donkey pulling a cart was led past where Nathan stood alone in the street, the sound snapping him out of his reverie. He heard another set of footsteps from behind. "Good morning, Laurette."

"Morning light, Rabbi." Laurette was the daughter of the family he was staying with. She was almost at marrying age and quite a few locals had their eyes on her. Nathan found it best not to dwell on what he thought of her. There would be no broken hearts in this lifetime. "You look so serious standing there. What's so interesting about a muddy road?"

"I can't help but think how much of a burden I've been," Nathan replied, turning to face her. Her dark hair was silky, she had probably brushed it thoroughly just before heading outside. He tried not to look too deeply into her green eyes. "Between the food your father gives me and the brewing trouble with the other locals ..." he trailed off.

Laurette placed her hand on Nathan's shoulder. "Don't think about it. We want you here." She looked like she wanted to say more, but that could have been wishful thinking on Nathan's part. "Besides, you help us make more money than you ever cost us." His business skills certainly did come in handy when it came selling goods.

"Maybe. But three years might have been too long. I'm going to leave soon." He suddenly looked down the street, staring intently, body rigid. "Immediately," he corrected. He turned back to Laurette, saw the pain in her eyes.

Xxxxx

"A headhunter was in town."

"I wanted you to take me with you."

"That wasn't an option." Nathan checked his watch. After eleven, the vampires could arrive at any time. It was 11:36. "It's not my place to choose how a mortal lives and dies."

Laurette glared. "You don't want me. That's the reason." Nathan was trapped. If he said the wrong thing, she might challenge him. The girl he knew eight hundred years ago never would, but Laurette was no longer an innocent teen. "You're spitting out excuses, Rabbi. I know you were in love with me."

"It's not an excuse, Laurette. I wanted you to live a full life, not follow an Immortal on the run." They heard the garage door open and a car pull up. Nathan knew from the sound it was his WRX. "They're home."

"You're married, aren't you?" The garage door closed and from the side door flooded Nathan's family.

Yvonne was the first one through. "Look, Papa has a date."

"Yay, _Sensei_!"

"Leave them alone," said Lau. He ushered Yvonne and Tabitha upstairs.

"Adopted?" asked Laurette.

Then Diana came in. She glared at Laurette. "Immortal. What do you want with Nathaniel?"

Laurette glanced back at the staircase, at Diana, and looked to Nathan. "How did she know?"

Diana noted the cutlass on the floor by Nathaniel's feet. She sat down next to Nathan and picked up the sword.

"Don't hurt yourself."

Nathan held her in place with a hand on the shoulder.

"I don't kill mortals."

"Neither does Diana. Diana, this is Laurette. I was her rabbi eight centuries ago."

"Someone older than I am. How rare." She set the sword down and leaned back against Nathan. "Are you in town long?"

"I haven't decided yet. What exactly is your relationship?"

"Diana is ... family. And the others are our children and students." Laurette sighed and turned away. "We've been friends for more than five hundred years, Laurette."

She looked at Nathan in disbelief.

"She's a different kind of immortal."

"I can't compete with that. I was so thrilled to hear you were alive ... I have to go. Bye, Nathan."

"Laurette," he said, when she rose from the couch. "I hope we can be friends."

She nodded and left the room. Diana held him in place, not letting him get up.

"What's with you?"

"She wants to be more than friends. Priests use faith to keep them celibate. How do you do it? You're not even Catholic. Six centuries, Nathaniel."

"A little more than eight," he corrected. "When I met you, I was ready to try again. Then you turned out to be a vampire."

"Does that matter, anymore?"

"Diana. Her father wanted me to marry her. Laurette and I both wanted to."

"This is the life you chose. You redeemed me, Lau, Tabitha, and Yvonne. We're real people because of you. Don't give that up. Lau will get by on his own, but Tabitha and Yvonne can't live without you. Neither can I."

Nathan hugged Diana with one arm. "When you said you wanted to spend eternity with me, you didn't mean as a friend, did you? Or even family. You wanted to be my wife." She said nothing. Her heart was still, as it always was, but Nathan got the impression it would have skipped a beat. "Tabitha looks young, so we can pretend she's adopted. What about Lau and Yvonne?"

"Yvonne could be your sister," Diana speculated. "And Lau's a family friend."

"Tabitha."

"Yes, _Sensei_?" she called from just out of sight.

"Who else is listening?"

Tabitha descended the staircase and sat down on the floor near Nathan and Diana. "Just me, _Sensei_. Can Eve be your cousin? That way, she still has to do what I tell her."

"If you like."

Tabitha grinned. "It looks like we're going to be even more of a family. _Sensei_, if you want Diana to be your wife, I don't think she'll be happy if it's in name only."

Nathan looked at Diana. She was staring at Tabitha. He had a hunch she thought Tabitha said too much. Really getting what she wanted must have been too much to hope for. Diana loved him. Nathan moved his hand up her shoulder and to the side of her neck. "Neither will I." He leaned forward and kissed Diana's jaw line. "I had always intended to romance you. I don't know when I forgot." She shivered at the breath against her skin.

"Why this?" Diana asked. "Why now?"

"Laurette reminded me why I wanted to be with you in the first place." Nathan turned her head to look at him. "And what I was afraid of. I'm not going to lose you so easily." He pulled her forward and kissed her lips. He had meant for it to be a short kiss, but Diana pulled him in the other direction. Before he knew what was happening, Diana was flat against the couch, Nathan on top of her.

Tabitha got up and started to sneak out the room.

"Papa's finally found someone," Yvonne said from the stairway. "Diana's going to be pissed."

"Shh!" Tabitha hissed. "Privacy." She forced Yvonne up the stairs, leaving the two lovers alone.


	2. Chapter 2, Family

Chapter 2 – Family – August, 2004

He awoke to a gentle shake. "Good morning," whispered Diana. Nathan smiled before even opening his eyes.

"So much better than an alarm clock." He sat up and let the blanket fall to his waist. Diana did not cover up her now-exposed torso. Nathan glanced at the clock and did a double-take. It was half an hour earlier than the alarm was set. His Diana, his partner for the rest of existence, stared into his eyes like she had something to say. "What is it?"

"I underestimated Yvonne. She barely talks when it's not about you or when you're out of the room, I forget how intelligent she is. And she cares about us, you and me. Did you know that she started calling me Mama?" Nathan ruffled his eyebrows. "Yvonne had a talk with me a few days ago. She said, 'I'm concerned about your happiness.' Tabitha and Lau may be part of our family, but I really feel like Yvonne is our daughter. She thinks I need more in my life than you and the others. Something to do, to make me feel human.

"I know that I'm not, I'm just a vampire. Living with you all this time ... maybe it has to do with your Quickening. Maybe it physically changed me. Whatever it is, the four of us aren't normal vampires.

"I want to know more about the world. I want to learn. I've lived with you for six hundred years, but I have little to show for it. Not even a formal education."

Nathan took her hand. "There's a lot more to life than going to school. If you like, we can convert your old bedroom into a study. Living near a university means we have access to plenty of books and research material."

Diana shook her head. "That's not enough. I've decided to go to night school. Lau and Yvonne are both interested, but you're the one who has to forge the papers. And supply the check."

"I'll teach you how to do that, and set up bank accounts in your name," he declared. "The only reason I didn't do it before is you never expressed interest." Nathan shifted his weight and leaned over her. "I'm proud of you." He gave her a quick kiss, plotting exactly what it was Diana would receive from him.

Xxxxx

When Nathan returned from work, Yvonne was waiting for him. "Can I have my own bank account?" Nathan laughed, but she was serious. "If I'm going to school now, I'm going to need money to buy books."

"I've always paid for you. That won't stop now."

"How much do I ask of you, Papa?" Yvonne pleaded.

Nathan considered her situation. She had just started going to night school, and was looking for the same financial independence most 18-year olds sought when they began college. But Yvonne was not a normal girl. In fact, she was not a girl at all. She had been 26 when she was Turned, nearly 60 years ago. Despite appearing to be a basically good person, she was still a vampire, and that made her unpredictable. Could he trust her? Diana was an exception. He had a hunch that his Quickening changed vampires in his immediate proximity, made them more human. Diana had been around him for ten times as long as Yvonne. One being worthy did not mean the other was.

"I'll think about it," he finally said.

Yvonne treated his noncommittal comment like a victory. She threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek repeatedly. "Thank you, thank you! I promise, I'll be good!"

"Eve!" snapped Tabitha. Nathan had not noticed her walk in. Diana stood beside her. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Yvonne replied. She kicked one of her heels and went upstairs.

"_Sempai_ wants to learn a new style of Kung Fu. He's waiting in the basement." Tabitha sat down on the couch arm. "You're home early. How was work?"

"Not now, Tab." She did not move, so Nathan opened the window shades. Tabitha jumped away from the light that shone through. "I need to think about something." He sat down in an armchair that was soaked in sunlight.

Tabitha pouted. "Not nice, _Sensei_." She walked away with a put-off swagger.

"What's going on?" Diana asked. She stood just outside the sun's range.

"I know I can trust you. You've had so many chances to kill or take advantage of me. That's not true with the others. Tabitha and Yvonne are a lot more selfish than they let on. They would stake each other if they could get away with it, and you, too. Lau only stays because I teach him martial arts."

"That's not true. You're just worried about losing them. Every father feels the same way when his children talk about leaving the nest."

"Maybe. Diana, do you know what love is?"

She stepped into the lit portion of the room; smoke rose from her skin. Diana pulled Nathan to his feet and led him back into the shadow. "All of us love you. Even Lau."

Nathan shook his head. "They feel obligated to me. What about you?"

"It's more than respect and obligation. We stay because you make us happy." She took both of his hands. "Why do I stay? The way you brighten whenever you see me, for one. I'm in love with you, Nathaniel ben Yitzhak."

Nathan grinned. "I wish we could have had a wedding." He kissed her.

"Is that why you came home early? You were lonely?"

He liked the way his heart raced when she looked at him like she was. "No, I came to warn you. Someone called me at work. An old friend. He's coming to Buffalo."

Diana walked out of the room, suddenly disgusted. There was only one person it could be.

"I know you don't like him," Nathan said from the doorway. "He's my friend, and he wants to help with something. That's all I know."

"Cyrus kills vampires for fun! He'll do the same to me."

"You're not a typical vampire."

Diana crossed her arms and faced him. "He's dangerous. I don't want him in this house." They faced each other off for a full minute. "I know it's not my decision."

"Be nice. His flight lands at four." He stared at her for a few more seconds. "I'm going to the airport."

Xxxxx

The bottom floor of Buffalo International Airport was filled with arriving passengers. Some families were there to meet fathers finally home after business trips. Cyrus Tegyr blended in with the businessmen. He had dark hair, touched with silver at the temples, and wore a long, lambskin coat.

"Nathaniel!"

Nathan shook his hand. "Welcome to Buffalo, Cy. How was the flight?"

"Not bad. I hate the new security." He hefted his suitcase and the attached poster roll. "I'm always afraid they're going to lose my luggage."

"I'm on the bottom floor of the parking garage." He led Cyrus to his WRX. Cyrus loaded his suitcase into the trunk, and the younger Immortal opened up the poster roll. He removed a sword and sheathed it in his coat. "You still use the Roman spatha?" They entered the car.

"It's well made."

Nathan looked at his former Student sidelong; the elder Immortal had forged the spatha before the fall of the Roman Empire. He started up the car and drove back to his suburban home. "Are you going to tell me why you're here?"

"I'd rather say it once." Cyrus grinned when he saw Nathan's Espirit in the garage. "You couldn't resist a fancy car." Cyrus collected his suitcase and followed Nathan into the house. He paused when he saw the vampires. "Care to introduce us?"

"Cyrus, this is Lau, Tabitha, and Yvonne. You've met Diana. We should go to the living room." The six of them sat down on the couch and armchairs. "What have you been up to, these last few centuries?"

"It's been a while since we met in person, hasn't it?" the younger Immortal asked rhetorically. He stared off into space. "I've learned things I didn't know were possible." Cyrus focused on Diana. "I was wrong about you. Vampires can reform." He looked around the room. "I'm reserving judgment on the others."

"That's the most I can ask for. Have you done anything besides work for the past three hundred years?" For Cyrus, work was hunting demons and vampires. It was a job he took whole-heartedly.

"Not much," Nathan's friend admitted. "A lot has happened, most of it within the last ten years. One of the most deadly vampires in history was 'cursed' with a soul. His grand-childe also won his soul after a series of trials. Both of them are now recognized Champions." The vampires in the room looked confused. "Champions are warriors who fight against Evil. Most don't set out to become Champions; it's a calling."

"Like the Hunger," Lau tried.

"Close enough. I decided that if two vampires can save the world, then maybe others can live normal lives. I'd like to stay for awhile and see what your family is like."

"There aren't any pending apocalypses or Hellmouths in Buffalo, Cyrus," Diana warned. "Are you sure you can stand living here?"

"Time will tell. Do you have any other vampire friends I should know about?" Diana said they didn't. "Good. I'm going on patrol; any vampire I see is dust."

Nathan watched the door after Cyrus left with a touch of empathy. Eight hundred years ago, Nathan had felt equally uncomfortable amongst a family host. His friend needed a place to belong, and fighting demons wasn't enough.

Xxxxx

The next morning, someone knocked on his bedroom door after Nathan had left for work. Diana sighed and quickly dressed. When she answered the door, her breath would have caught if she were still alive. "Cyrus?"

The older man forced a smile. "I wanted to talk to you alone. Can we sit down?" She led him to Nathan's study. "This will do." Diana sat at the desk, and Cyrus took the chair by the computer workstation. "When I met you in the 18th Century, you were the first vampire I had even heard of who didn't use humans as food. I started researching 'domestication' because I was convinced you'd turn on him. I came across something that will interest you: the origins of Immortals."

Diana started and her eyebrows shot up in surprise. The movement unbalanced her, and she fell from the desk to the floor. She pulled over another chair and sat down, this time well into the seat. Diana assured Cyrus that she was fine.

Cyrus continued. "It's just a legend, but experience makes me believe that the legend is true.

"There's a natural balance to the universe. We know it as the yin-yang. When a vampire is Turned, the host's soul is supplanted by the demon equivalent. That's what gives you your strength, speed, and whatever else you can do. After every tenth or hundredth Turning, a foundling baby appears on someone's doorstep. It's cosmic backlash. If the baby grows up and dies a violent death, he becomes Immortal. Immortals are ordinary people with something extra – the Quickening. It sustains us throughout time, but it's also an abundance of spiritual energy."

Diana crossed her arms. "That's a ..." Cyrus nodded for her to continue. "Never mind." She smiled sheepishly and uncrossed her arms. "Go on."

"Immortals instinctively keep their power inside their bodies, but some of it always leaks out. That's why Immortals can sense each other. Now, vampires are half-human, but they don't have souls. The human half craves to have their souls back, and that makes it easier for the demon half to take over and feed – only, when a vampire feeds from a human, she doesn't absorb the soul.

"My theory is that when a vampire is near an Immortal, she absorbs some of his excess Quickening. That's why vampires are instinctively afraid of Immortals, because the demon half feels threatened. The amount of Quickening a vampire absorbs is normally negligible, and it wears off once the Immortal is out of range. If a vampire tries to feed on an Immortal, there's an overflow of energy that is almost guaranteed to daze the vampire. We've both seen this happen over the centuries."

Cyrus got up from his chair and turned away. He carefully guarded his emotions, especially the pain that built up over twelve centuries of life. While he might let Nathan see, Diana was mostly a stranger to him. It felt too awkward to reveal too much about himself to her. When his feelings were under control, he turned back and leaned against the back of the workstation chair.

"You've been around an Immortal longer than any vampire in history. I think your body absorbed enough of his Quickening over the years that it's become permanent. You have enough of it to be the equivalent of a soul, maybe a little bit more. Not enough to sense you as Immortal, but I can tell that you're not an ordinary vampire by sensing your life force. The change was gradual, so I doubt Nathan has noticed.

"Besides the Quickening, one other thing changed you. I only know this because of the other vampire Champions. Love has a magical quality to it – it lets you control your instincts when another vampire would fall back to being a demon. That makes you even more special."

Cyrus pushed the chair underneath the desk. "The rest of what I have to say is a little more strange. I said before that the Quickening is more than just spiritual energy. Not only has the Quickening restored your soul, but I think the humanity in you has become dominant. Dominant enough to overcome your vampire weaknesses. I learned how to use my Quickening as a natural defibrillator. I'd like to try and restart your heart."

Diana kept herself under control through skepticism. She was undead, not alive. Was it possible to really come back? It was impossible to hold hope back from her voice. "It's worth a try. What do you want me to do?"

"Just lie down." Diana slipped off the chair and set herself down. It was much more graceful than her last sudden excursion to the floor. "I'm going to place my hands on your chest. No matter what happens, this is going to hurt." Diana nodded for him to go ahead.

Cyrus knelt on the ground beside her and placed his palms against her blouse. "One. Two. Three." Diana convulsed as she was struck with a controlled current. When her body responded a second later, he fell onto his arse in surprise.

Diana felt like she was choking. Air came into her lungs with a rush, filling them for the first time since 1398 CE. At first she breathed too quickly. "Relax," Cyrus said from beside her. "You'll hyperventilate." Minutes passed before she got her breathing under control. It was too strange an experience after too long. "How do you feel?"

She reached up to her carotid artery and checked for a pulse. Blood flowed beneath her finger. A grin broke out on her face. "Alive." Diana sat up, a hand over her chest so she could feel it expand and contract with each breath. "Am I human again?"

"Not exactly." Cyrus focused on her with the sense he used to detect Immortals and vampires. "I don't know how to describe what you are. You feel like a pre-immortal, but you have some of the darkness of a vampire. I suppose you're a little bit of each. There's a legend that Hollywood made popular recently: dhampir, an offspring of a human and a vampire. If you need a name for what you are, then that's the closest term that fits."

Diana smiled at Cyrus. "If this is why you came to Buffalo, I'm grateful. Thank you Cyrus. I don't know how to repay you."

"There's no need. Nathaniel could have done the same if I told him how. I just didn't want to get his hopes up, in case it didn't work." Diana was not sure how to take his dismissal of her gratitude. She decided that Cyrus wanted to be a friend to his old Teacher and left it at that. "If you betray him – or me – I can still take your head," Cyrus warned. "I think you really love him."

Diana nodded. "More than anything."

"Keep the details a secret from the others; I don't trust them."

Diana was incredibly grateful for the information, and could not wait to test her newfound abilities. Her feelings did not prevent her from noticing how much Cyrus meant that last statement. "You did this so I can help protect him from them, didn't you? Why do you trust me, Cyrus Tegyr?"

"A vampire doesn't necessarily know how to do the right thing without being told. No matter how hard she tries, she's still a demon." He leaned forward. "Love has magical properties. Combined with Nathaniel's Quickening, it was more than enough to curb your vampire tendencies. This way I know your soul is secure, and you're making the right decisions on your own. If the other vampires in your home realize it's just the Quickening of an ancient Immortal that stays their own blood lust, something very bad will happen."

Diana nodded. "How old is ancient? I know he's more than 800, but ... how old is Nathaniel? How old are you, for that matter?"

"Older than you are." That much she already knew. "I've met Immortals with hypnotic abilities, just like a vampire's. Age grants us both special gifts that we try to hide. Nathaniel is old and young enough that he doesn't know what powers he has."

"Can't you teach him?"

Cyrus hesitated. "No. But there's one who might be able to. My Teacher never mentioned it, but there is a legend that floats around the Immortal community. Methos."

Diana shivered. "The one who helped force demons from Earth, five thousand years ago?"

"That's a new twist," Cyrus admitted. "Methos is supposedly the oldest living Immortal. No one knows how old. No one knows if he really exists. Your legend is evidence he once did, but that isn't proof he still does. In the nineties, there was a rumor that Methos was on the West Coast; it's why I moved there. He turned out to be an imposter. The real Methos might still be out there."

"Thank you, Cyrus. For the gift of life, and for telling me what's been bothering you. You'll always be family."

Cyrus smiled weakly and left the study.

Diana wondered how she was going to test how alive she was. She decided to start by opening the window. To her everlasting pleasure, the sunlight did not burn her. It was a warmth she had missed for six centuries. Diana closed her eyes and focused on her senses, enjoying the feeling. She felt her cheeks flush; she had forgotten they could. As blood worked its way to other parts of her body, Diana decided that she had to see Nathan.

Diana ran down to the garage and climbed into the WRX; Nathan would forgive her borrowing the car.

Xxxxx

Nathan waved goodbye to his last patient of the morning. Another cavity filled, pain another mortal would no longer feel. He was again grateful that his Quickening granted immunity from tooth infections. Nathan threw out his gloves and hung up his coat before heading into the break room. He tried to remember what lunch was today, but the brown paper bag's contents skirted his consciousness.

Surprisingly, the break room was empty. He had the farthest to walk, and so was usually last inside. Yet no one was there. He looked around the room curiously. No, the room was not empty. Nathan's mouth dropped open.

Diana walked purposefully across the room and placed her arms around Nathan's neck. "I bribed your staff with free lunches." She kissed Nathan, and soon laughed at his surprise.

"You don't feel like a vampire anymore." He combed her hair with his fingers. "You're warm." Nathan kissed her cheek. "How?" he asked, suddenly breathless.

"Your Quickening and some of Cyrus' magic. I'm like you, without the Game."

"The word 'miracle' comes to mind."

Diana grinned, and gave Nathan a kiss that he whole-heartedly returned. "Why don't you buy me lunch? I haven't eaten anything in six hundred years, and I'm pretty hungry."

"How can I refuse?" Nathan hugged her tightly. "How do hot wings sound?"

"Modern," she answered honestly. The last time she had eaten anything solid, Buffalo had not existed, much less Buffalo wings. "It'll do." They left the office arm-in-arm for their first real date in the six centuries they had known each other.

Xxxxx

7 June, 1400 CE

Nathan awoke in bed with something pressed against him. It was not an object or pet, he quickly realized. He reached under his bed and pulled out the hidden sword. Diana's face transformed to its true, demonic visage when the blade was pressed against her neck. "I think you misunderstood our relationship, vampire. Sneak into my room again, and your invitation will be revoked."

Diana's vampire form reverted, and a frown covered her face. "Last night, you said..."

"That was before I knew what you were. I'll be your friend, so long as you don't drink human blood. If you do, your life is forfeit. Don't expect anything else from me."

Xxxxx

Diana giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"I was thinking it's about time. The night we met, you surprised me with the promise of something so much better than anything I had imagined. You drew me in right from the beginning. It's a shame it took so long for us to go on a date."

Nathan raised his beer. "May the next six centuries be only the beginning." They clicked their glasses together and downed the drinks. "You should dip the wing in bleu cheese if you think it might be too hot."

Diana wrinkled her nose at Nathan and bravely devoured the meat off of the first wing she picked out of the bowl. "Spicy," she allowed, "but you should try skunk's blood." They continued to eat in silence. Food was a marvel to Diana. Hot wings had a flavor that she never knew existed, skunk's blood notwithstanding. Beer was a familiar taste, but real food was something else entirely. She wondered if other things would feel more real now that she was alive. "I'm not going to die ever again. Just for meals like this, it's worth living."

The living vampire leaned back in her chair and considered the man who was now her legal husband. "We've spent six hundred nine years together, and you never spoke about the past. Only about today or the future. Why am I the only woman you've been with since the Dark Ages? What happened to you?"

Nathan set his food aside. "Before my First Death, I was a merchant. I didn't have enough money for a wife, and other things were more important. Like war." He shivered. "You'll never understand how much I hate Europe. I came back every few centuries to see how it had changed. Some of the people impressed me, but the majority never did." He scowled at his memories. It had started with the Zealot Rebellion and the rise of Christianity. The harm caused to his homeland by Rome and the Church was too much to ignore. "When I was kicked out of China in 753, I gave up on having a home." Though that incident was unrelated to religion, it still stung deep.

Diana shifted. She knew Nathan was older than her, but the date placed him at more than double her age. "That's why you left Laurette's village, isn't it? You didn't think it was possible to settle down."

"That's part of it. The rest is in the details. I've been with you longer than I've ever been in one place. You're all I want."

She realized he was not prepared to discuss it more. They could talk about Nathan's life for the next six centuries and not cover everything. "Are there any enemies I should know about?"

"Duncan MacLeod. He has the best chance of winning the Game." Nathan snorted a laugh. "We got into a fight over religion. If he ever takes my head, I hope that's not the reason." Her face showed that she was not prepared to lose Nathan for anything. The fight in her eyes was something he had to confront immediately. "Remember, Diana: you can't kill my enemies for me." He suddenly changed the topic when her expression did not change. "After five centuries, do all vampires lose the ability to change their faces back and forth?" Diana's face was forever locked in its human visage, though she had a vampire's fangs.

"I don't know. Most only last a few decades." She finally relaxed, a solution in mind. "I know as much about my vampire powers as you do your Quickening. We both need to find Teachers."

Nathan sighed. "You're probably right. My Teacher could probably help. It's been a long time since I spoke to him, though, and I don't know how to get in touch."

"Teacher?" He had never mentioned a Teacher. It made sense that someone had taught him the basics of Immortality. After all, he had Cyrus. "Is he still alive?"

"I heard a rumor that he was on the West Coast." The rumor was dated, but it was still the best information Nathan had about his former Teacher. A shy sort, the Old Man always made it a point to stay hidden.

"There was a Methos imposter on the West Coast," Diana muttered absentmindedly. Nathan did not react. "Learning can only improve your chances of survival. Survival comes before all but three sins, remember?"

It was almost odd that she had learned the lessons of his religion so well, unless one considered how long ago it was they first met. It was certainly odd that he had forgotten. "You're right." Years of practice did not a master make. He needed to constantly progress his combat skills, and recent mastery of _krav_ _maga_ was not enough. One lucky swing of the sword was all it took to end even a life as old as Nathan's. "I can't take the children where I need to go. What will happen if we leave them here?"

Cyrus' warning echoed with Nathan's words. Diana shivered despite herself. She cared for them, but the others were not truly capable of love. They worshipped Nathan and Diana in the same way minions worshipped their vampire Master. It was as much grudging respect as anything else, especially with Lau and Yvonne. They acted in a way that improved their chances of survival, not how they felt. Diana started in her seat at the realization and how her perspective had changed with her beating heart; the living were supposed to be less cynical than the dead. "I don't trust them alone for that long." The waitress dropped off their check and asked them about another course. When she was dismissed, Diana continued her line of thought. "I'm afraid to stay alone with children. Without you to guide them ... I don't know what will happen."

Nathan found her misgivings difficult to accept. She had not been so different from the others, but his relationship with her was a special circumstance. While he was not obligated to help the undead, he felt paternally towards Lau, Tabitha, and Yvonne. They were the closest he would ever have to real children. "Tabitha is more moral than most humans. They'll be fine with her as a guide, and with Lau to protect them." She did not look convinced, so he addressed the only item he could come up with. "Heather already assured us the Slayers were going to avoid Buffalo."

Diana did her best to appear convinced, even if he had incorrectly guessed the source of her discomfort. Cyrus had been right to warn her. Her husband wanted desperately to believe the best in their vampire charges, despite his occasional misgivings. They would both be safer with two sets of eyes on watch. "Her word will have to do."

As expected, Nathan was set at ease. "Then it's decided." Diana's college career was slated to begin in four months' time. That gave them plenty of time to seek out his former Teacher. All that remained was to break the news to their children.

Xxxxx

Diana headed home with Nathan at the end of the work day. It was better if their children did not know Diana could walk in sunlight. She had some difficulty convincing her husband to keep it secret, but he finally agreed when she mentioned presumed jealousy.

The WRX and Espirit pulled up the driveway under the cover of night. Nathan stiffened as he stepped out of his car, a telltale sign of Cyrus' presence. He removed the favored cavalry saber from his coat, even though he already knew who was inside. "Is something wrong?" Nathan opened the door and entered the den. Cyrus was there with _spatha_ in hand.

"Welcome home."

"Thanks." They put their weapons away, aware that neither had meant offense. Those who were not careful lived shorter lives.

"This is why I don't usually stick around," Cyrus admitted. The buzz was enough to set any Immortal on edge. Feeling it every day would shorten their life spans, if stress affected their long term health.

Diana was the voice of reason. "It takes time to get used to new company, especially after a few hundred years. I hope you'll stay in Buffalo for a while." Nathan cocked his head at that, and she further surprised him by giving Cyrus a hug. "I can't thank you enough for what you've done for us."

"Don't mention it." The Immortal was even more rigid than usual at the physical contact. Nathan wondered if the reason was her vampiric or feminine nature.

"Thanks to you, Diana and I have a chance at a real honeymoon." The sentence had begun as an excuse, but by the time he finished Nathan wore a grin. It was almost too good to be true. "Would you be willing to keep an eye on the children when we go?"

Cyrus' expression showed how much he appreciated the request. "I won't stay in your house without you in it." He looked into his Teacher's eyes and saw how much it meant. "I can rent a place nearby and look in once in a while. If anything happens, I promise to call. When do you plan on leaving?"

Nathan scratched the stubble on his chin. He had patients to take care of. Running off without notice was too irresponsible. He tried to think of the shortest notice he could afford, but Diana beat him to it.

"Sunday. We're going to come back just after New Year's, so I can start going to university in the winter."

"A daylight tour of North American," Nathan put in. "We'll be taking the Lotus on a very long road trip." The limited trunk space and poor gas mileage would infringe on the trip, but he liked the car too much to pass up the chance. Diana smiled at the glint in his eye, knowing that it was for the car.

Cyrus crossed his arms. Four months was a long time to sit out of the Apocalypse Game, as Nathan had once called it. On the other hand, there were other Champions in the world. Cyrus was also Immortal, which left plenty of time to get back into the Apocalypse Game. Four months was nothing after twelve hundred years. "I couldn't think of a better wedding present than to baby sit. I promise to watch them."

Diana grinned at Cyrus. Recent events made the future look like an incredibly bright place.

Xxxxx

The taxi slowed to a stop in front of a small apartment building. "This is it. Sixteen hundred Millersport Highway." Stas opened the car door, suddenly uncertain about his new home. Was he making a mistake? He paid the driver and stepped onto the sidewalk. A cold breeze bit into the exposed skin of his face, but he was familiar with the cold. The weather of his homeland had been much more deadly.

Stas picked up his suitcase and moved towards Building 4. Like a motel, all the rooms opened directly to the outside. He felt the buzz as he neared the building. His hand went immediately to the _shashka_ in his coat, eyes scanning the area with practiced calm.

The door to apartment 4-B opened and Stas dropped the suitcase. When the Immortal stepped through the doorway, he felt the tension immediately drain away. It was a brunette with curly hair and green eyes.

When he spoke, he let his natural Russian accent accompany his words. "My name is Stas Gould. I am your new neighbor."

The woman kept her hand inside her coat, even as Stas let go of his weapon and retrieved the suitcase. "Are you going to challenge me?"

Stas shook his head. "I have never killed a woman, and I never will." Shock crossed her face. "I mean no offense. Where I come from, all life is valued. Especially the lives of non-combatants." His proclamation was a lie; in his homeland, women and children were slaughtered more viciously than enemy soldiers. That cruelty had birthed Stas's morality.

"I think something was lost in translation," she decided. "You meant to say that you don't intend to fight me, right? Welcome to Buffalo, Stas. I'm Laurette. If you knock on my door later, I'll show you around the city."

"Thank you. I look forward to it."

"See you later." Laurette went back into her apartment and closed the door.

Stas stared at the door. How could she be so trusting? Immortals were dangerous, especially strangers. Apparently there were more types than Stas had encountered in his two centuries. It was more than a relief, with Flynn somewhere in the city. He let out a long breath and walked up to his apartment, 4-C.

The place was fully furnished, as the realtor had promised. The décor was not as Stas would have chosen, but he was not picky enough to redo the entire apartment. All that mattered was he a place to stay while he hunted his Teacher.

20


	3. Chapter 3, While You Were Out I

Interlude I – While You Were Out – September, 2004

Stas closed the dresser. His wardrobe was finally up to Buffalo standards, which meant enough warm clothes to last the winter. Decades spent in Russia's frozen wastes took away any intimidation value the snow might have had. He knew what to expect from the weather, if not from his Teacher.

A knock on his apartment door cut off any thoughts about Flynn. No buzz preceded the guest, leaving only one possible identity. His neighbor. Stas purposely left his _shashka_ in its coat sheath and answered the door. Laurette stood on the concrete path with a flirtatious grin. She was pretty, but something about her kept his interest platonic.

"I felt you return from that shopping trip. Did you get everything you wanted?"

Stas gave a short nod, but a ringing sound cut off his vocal response. A cloud overcame him at the sound. Only one person had his cell phone number, and it was not a friend. "I have to get that." He closed the door on Laurette and braced himself before picking up the phone. "Feeling lonely?"

His Teacher's voice _tsk_ed through the receiver. "You know that our emotions are much more complicated than pesky mortals, and not even they have just one reason for any action."

The young Immortal looked reassuringly to his coat. "Get to the point, Flynn."

"Such anger! You're the one who started with the small talk." Stas held back a growl, instead opting for a forceful sigh. "Good. Find a useful outlet for your feelings, don't let them build up and explode." Even with their differences, Flynn still tried to be the teacher. Stas was always unsure of Flynn's motivations. There were too many contradictions in the elder Immortal. "I'm insulted that you moved to Buffalo and never bothered to look me up."

"What makes you think I haven't?" Stas was unaware of the volume of his voice and equally oblivious to the rage. "If I knew where you were, one of us wouldn't be among the living."

False surprise accompanied Flynn's response. "Stanislav! I would never wish you pain. How could you say such a thing?" His tone turned icy. "You have potential. Countless Immortals are coming to this city; if you survive the next year, you will have a chance at becoming a god. Use your pet of a neighbor until she is helpless, and then dispose of her."

All the anger washed out of Stas as he realized the full implications of Flynn's words. Blood drained from his face until he was pale as the white ceiling. To verify his conclusion, he asked, "What makes you think she's my pet?"

"No matter to me. If you don't take her Quickening, I will."

Flynn was close enough to know that Laurette was Immortal. The only one of their kind she had mentioned in Buffalo was a rabbi, and Flynn was not the type to become a clergyman. Either Laurette was working for Flynn, or Stas was under very close surveillance. What he knew of his Teacher told Stas that the latter was the only real possibility. Stas started to retort, but found the line was dead.

The battle against Flynn was supposed to be a personal one. As grateful he was for the Immortal's influence on Stas's life, he wished he had killed him when they first met.

Xxxxx

16 May, 1873 CE

Blood flew with swipe of Stas's sword. His opponent was cut open, the inside of his lungs now exposed to the outside air in a much more direct way. Stas grinned with cruel pride and turned to the final Cossack. "You fight for the wrong cause, comrade." A stink reached Stas, and he knew that the Cossack had lost control of his bowels. "Are you ready to die?" The buzz came suddenly, accompanied by hoof beats. Stas slashed across the Cossack's back as the so-called soldier turned to flee. No Cossack deserved to live and not even another Immortal would prolong his vengeance. Stas savored the death cry. His work for the day was finished. Stas turned to the newcomer, ready for a more difficult fight.

The horseman did not look Ukrainian. He was tall, with reddish-blond hair and pale skin. The Immortal looked around and saw more than a dozen recent corpses spread around a camp. "Nice handiwork. Any reason for the slaughter?"

Stas grinned with leftover fury. He had seen Cossacks slaughter children with more cruelty than Stas had ever exhibited. "They lost their right to live a long time ago."

"That's for mortals to decide. Our kind lives by different laws." The horseman saw that his words had no effect on Stas, so he took on a kinder tone. "Mortals have short enough lives as it is. No need for us to intervene."

Something was wrong. The horseman had not yet challenged Stas and the fury was leaving him. If another fight did not begin soon, Stas would be at a disadvantage. He charged forward with his sword, but the Immortal's steed moved out of range. "Are you suicidal, lad? I'm fresh and you've just come out of a fight. Even if you're the better swordsman, who do you think will keep his head?" Stas attacked a second and third time, but the horseman continued to evade.

Xxxxx

The two Immortals had undergone personality changes in opposite directions over the past century and a quarter. Stas was now the more peaceful, and Flynn the insane one. Though he had matured since their first encounter, Flynn's combat skill was still beyond Stas. There was little hope for the showdown Stas sought, but he had to try. The elder Immortal's scheme was too dangerous.

Frustrated with his line of thought, Stas decided to do something more useful. He left his apartment and sought out Laurette. Leaving her alone was now an invitation for Flynn to take her head. He was aware that she might misunderstand his intentions, but that was no reason to risk her life.

Xxxxx

Lau was looking for his next conquest. He never spent more than a single night with any woman, it was his thing. Tabitha found it rather despicable.

Yvonne danced with a couple of guys. She was too scared to do anymore than dance with a guy, though. It was why Yvonne was so dependent on Nathan, her de facto father.

Tabitha sighed. Each of them stayed with Nathan for a different reason. For her, it was probably respect. But Nathan had found love for himself, and Tabitha knew that if she continued living as she had, loneliness was going to set in. No, it was time to accept the possibility of romance. She did not, after all, want to be like Yvonne.

"Beer?" asked a voice. Tabitha turned to see a beer bottle offered to her. It was a brand she did not recognize, Killian's Red. She hesitantly accepted, then looked up to see who had offered it. The man's identity surprised her: Cyrus Tegyr. "You looked bored."

"I came here with them," she indicated Lau and Yvonne, "but I'm not really in the mood right now. Besides, you don't look like you're having a good night, either."

Cyrus shrugged. "You three are the only vamps in the joint. I was hoping for something to kill."

"Oh, joy!" she shouted with mock enthusiasm. "Now I know why Diana didn't want you coming here." To her surprise, Cyrus laughed. "Stupid old people. What do you really want?"

To his own surprise, Cyrus decided to tell her. "I'm making sure you stay safe. Have your siblings," he paused, the word sounding strange in his ears, "been acting different since Nathan left for his honeymoon?"

"Lau has been getting more bossy. That's basically it."

The Immortal watched Lau on the dance floor as if his eyes could see through the vampire's flesh. There was a chance he was just upset at the change in pecking order, but increased aggression was not a good sign. "Let me know if he does anything strange."

Tabitha turned away from Cyrus and he eventually left the bar. She blinked in surprise at what she saw on the dance floor. A man with an arm around Yvonne, walking her out. Was she really going home with him?


	4. Chapter 4, Lessons

Chapter 4 – Lessons – December, 2004

After months of touring America, Nathan decided to stop in a small city called Seacouver. It was not quite the most dull-looking place on their trip, but Diana saw nothing worthwhile at a glance. Especially since they were so far north in early winter. There was only one reason she could of for their stay: Nathan's Teacher. Her hunch soon proved correct.

Nathan took her to one bar after another, where he asked for a man of specific description. Diana served as his living lie detector. Her enhanced vampiric senses came in handy, even if she was no longer one of the undead. When Diana lost track of the bars they had visited, she finally asked him what he hoped to accomplish.

"I'm not really sure," Nathan admitted. "The idea right now is to let him know we are looking. Anyone who survives more than a millennium has to have an information network. There are exceptions, but I doubt my Teacher is one of them."

Diana started at his answer. Up until that point, she had assumed he was following the Methos rumor. She knew that Nathan was over a thousand, yet this was his first mention of informants. "Then how did Laurette surprise you?"

He smiled sadly. "She didn't follow the usual pattern for a headhunter." A worried tone had seeped into his voice, unbidden. "It takes an awful lot of noise to show up on my radar."

"Does that bother you?" she felt obliged to ask. He still had so many secrets after so much time together.

"No, I just thought you would be upset. You seem ... different." He did not mean to say those words, but they had echoed in his mind in the months since her "resurrection." In some ways, she was almost paranoid, and in others optimistic to the point of naiveté. The change was remarkably similar to his own world view. From the explanation she had related from Cyrus, Nathan had to wonder if his Quickening affected Diana's personality.

"I am better at hiding it than I used to be." She said the words as if they were an observation, but even so relief washed through Nathan. His reaction confused her. For all she knew, the consolation was a lie. Why did it mean so much to him that she worry? Insecurity was not an apt descriptor of Nathan, especially in regards to her. Not for centuries. "Do you think anyone we run into will actually know your Teacher?"

Nathan chose not to answer. He purposefully squashed all expectations that threatened to rise. Better to be wary.

Next stop was a decent bar called Joe's. It was out-of-the-way enough for tourists to miss, not unlike countless other bars in Seacouver. When Nathan started towards the bartender, Diana whispered, "He is nervous."

Nathan almost stopped at her observation. Could the bartender have recognized him? "Could you find someone for me?" he asked the barkeep.

The bartender stared at him evenly. "Paying customers only, pal. Do you want a drink, or will I have to ask you to leave?"

Nathan ordered rum, an action that set Diana on edge. He only drank rum in particular circumstances, particularly after a Quickening. She downed his drink before he could grab the glass. He glanced at her, both amused and mock-hurt. "You know what I am?"

The bartender shrugged. "An underwear model?"

Diana answered for him. "This man is afraid of us. He knows."

He tried to make a denial, but the surprise in his voice prevented Nathan from believing it. Nathan was not a happy man. Either the bartender could sense Immortals, or he had another way of keeping tabs. Both possibilities meant lots of resources behind a simple bar.

"I don't want any trouble," Nathan said cautiously. The bartender almost certainly had a gun behind the counter. "I'm just looking for my friend." The bartender had no intention of helping and said as much. "Then take a message. My friend is roughly my height, darker hair, and never lies. Tell him that Nathan ben Isaac is ready for another lesson."

Xxxxx

"Someone was in here looking for you."

Duncan tried not to look disappointed as Joe poured him a drink. Why did headhunters always choose the Highlander as a target? "What did he want?"

"I can take a guess," Joe said with the slightest frown. "He is one of you, and not exactly a friend. Nathan ben Isaac," he added, before Duncan could ask.

Nathan ben Isaac was a bitter enemy. They had gotten caught up in a religious debate during their one meeting, when Duncan had attempted to use his knowledge to impress a certain young woman. "I'm surprised he is still alive. Nathan never struck me as a violent man."

Joe tried to put as much warning in his words as he could muster. So far as he was concerned, Nathan was dangerous, and Duncan needed to understand. "We both know how deceiving Immortals can be."

The Buzz brought Duncan's attention to the door, and Joe's line of sight quickly followed. The man who entered moved with the very essence of his persona, a perpetual grad student. "Hey, Joe. MacLeod."

Joe automatically filled a pint from the tap. He was well-trained. "Anyway, it's not him you have to worry about. So far as we can tell, the woman he travels with is a vampire."

Duncan rolled his eyes. He had already encountered an Immortal who posed as a vampire. Another pretender was almost a joke.

As if he had anticipated the response, Joe explained, "The Watchers had a sister organization that kept track of the supernatural. I only found out about them when branch was completely destroyed." He paused, but jumped in before Duncan could ask questions. "They would have been a big help against Ahriman. I wish I had known about them before last year."

"Not to interrupt," Adam Pierson began, "but what brought this on? Who is supposedly working with vampires?" He seemed a bit more curious than usual, something that Duncan did not take much note of.

"Nathan ben Isaacs," Duncan replied.

"Are you sure?" Adam already knew what the answer would be, but he found it difficult to believe. It did not sound right to his ears.

"He was in here looking for an Immortal who never lies," Joe said as confirmation to MacLeod's claim. "He brought the vampire in here with him."

It was Adam's turn to roll his eyes. "Youths never respect their elders. Where can I find him?" He purposefully ignored the expressions and outbursts of shock.

Xxxxx

Nathan received a phone call the following day from a payphone, according to the Caller ID. "This is Adam Pierson," said the voice on the other end. "You have a lot of explaining to do, Nathaniel."

Diana's ears perked from nearby. "It's him, isn't it?"

Nathan had never heard his Teacher's recorded voice, so there was no way to know for sure. To the phone, he answered, "I will tell you what I can. Is there a place we can meet?"

The person on the other end either sensed his misgivings or had a few of his own. "There is a synagogue on Maple. Meet me in the lobby after morning services." The line went dead.

"Why a synagogue?" Diana immediately wanted to know. Her vampiric hearing had allowed her to eave's drop on the entire conversation, brief as it was. "The people who work there are bound to ask questions."

"Maybe he knows how I feel about churches," Nathan tried. His Teacher had not seen him after the rise of the Catholic Church, but he did know Nathan well enough to make such a conclusion.

"Why not a cemetery?" Diana's question was pointed, though Nathan apparently missed it.

"Immortals are more afraid of dying than mortals are. We have a lot more to lose." Diana did not need a reminder; it was more speculation.

"A cemetery is not neutral ground for vampires," she reminded him. This time Nathan understood her reservations. Adam Pierson expected Nathan to show up with a vampire. At least in a synagogue, the place Nathan was likely to respect most, Adam would be safe. Did that presumption extend to Diana as well?

"We'll be careful," he promised.

Xxxxx

Nathan and Diana told the receptionist that they considering a new congregation. It was a large synagogue – the biggest in Washington State, apparently. After some convincing, the couple was finally left alone.

"Is 'Adam' here yet?" Nathan stiffened. "Yes."

Nathan started to look around the room, wary. "I still have to see him to know."

The sound of someone approaching turned them both to the lobby entrance. They saw a thin man with a guarded expression and a warrior's stance. "I taught you better than to work with her kind." He stared at Diana, thoughts racing behind his hazel eyes. "What happened to her?"

"She's alive," Nathan answered. All three of them remained rooted in place, ready to bolt if need be. This conversation turned out to be more awkward than any of them had anticipated.

"I can bloody well see that," Adam snapped with a decidedly British accent. "That isn't possible." His demeanor softened with those words, almost imperceptibly. For an elder Immortal and Diana's senses, the change seemed dramatic. "Why are you here?"

Nathan decided to answer like a Rabbi. He stepped forward. "Why am I here? Am I ready for that answer yet?"

A grunt. Adam looked pointedly at Diana. "This is your fault, woman! Some secrets should stay buried." Then he turned back to Nathan. "Meet me at Joe's tonight. I only want to tell this story once, and more people need to hear it." Adam spun on his heal and walked out of the synagogue.

"That could have gone much worse," Diana was sure to say as soon as he was gone.

Xxxxx

Duncan MacLeod openly stared at Diana. She ignored him, like the threat he was not. No one in the room was a match for her and Nathan, except perhaps Adam. Apparently Adam actually was Nathan's teacher.

"What is this about, Adam?" MacLeod wanted to know. "After everything Joe told me about vampires, why would you invite one here?"

The three eldest were amused that Diana was perceived as the greatest threat. After a shared, silent chuckle, Adam started his lecture. "It's time you learned the origins of Immortals. This is a story I prefer had remained forgotten, but the actions of Nathaniel have made it too dangerous to keep secret." His speech sounded similar to Cyrus', but with a few twists.

"Darkness is the absence of light. Cold is the absence of heat. Hate is the absence of love." He paused to make sure the others were following him so far. It was important that they stay on the same page throughout the telling. "Humans have something in them that gives life. Religion calls it a soul, but I prefer the term Spark. Demons are animals that can live without a spark.

"There are two diametrically opposed groups involved in a Cold War for control of Earth: True Demons and the Powers that Be. The Powers try to represent humanity's best interests, and the True Demons only care about themselves. Neither group is one you want to take interest in your lives. Where one looks, the other follows.

"True Demons created demonkind, evil monsters that hide on Earth and other Planes of Existence. Demons ruled the world with their power, so the Higher Powers decided to create a balance. For every new type of demon, they made a human infant. If the child dies a violent death, the human will gain access to the Quickening – an abundance of the Spark that is connected to all life and Creation."

Adam held up his hand to stop from being interrupted. Everyone in the room had a thousand-and-one comments or questions, but there was more he had to say before he stopped. "Vampires are incomplete demons. When a human is Turned, a new demon is spawned from her blood. The vampire involved only acts as a catalyst. That is why vampires have so many weaknesses ... each vampire is not just a demon, but she is an entirely new kind. After the Turning of a certain number of vampires, another Immortal is born."

This time he could do nothing to prevent the discussion that broke out. The one question that popped up repeatedly was, "What about the Game?"

Hours passed before Adam was able to continue his tale. "The last part of the story will not make you think more of me. There is no excuse for what happened, and I will understand if any of you never want to see me again." The introduction sparked the attention of all those present, along with a bit of vindictiveness on the part of Duncan MacLeod.

"Early on, Immortals were organized into an army to fight demonkind. Eventually we created the Order of Watchers, a group of mortals, to help with the logistics. That was my task." He paused, as if the next part was too much for him. Even with his considerable skill at hiding emotions, it was obvious to all those present how painful this was for him. Tears were not in his eyes, but the loss was there for all to see.

"A thousand or so years later, the world was a very different place. The Horsemen of Apocalypse were a band of rapists and pillagers, but I became Death with a very different purpose in mind. Kronos, Silas, Caspian, and I were the Four Horsemen, and we sought the end of the world. Not just conquest, but a return of True Demons. I was with them for a millennium, and I did not leave because I was disgusted with our purpose. I left out of boredom." The words were said with a cruelty and disgust that could only paint him in a negative light in the eyes of Adam's friends. "Never confuse me with a good man."

While everyone displayed various levels of shock, he added, "We were delayed, but no one was every powerful enough to stop us forever. No one could outthink my plans. That was why they created the Game." Adam got up and left before anyone could recover from his words.

Diana was the first to regain motor control. She was nearly out of the bar by the time Nathan caught up. "Is he the kind of person you want teaching us?" Diana asked bitterly. "He was ... pure evil."

Nathan nearly flinched at her judgment, but she was too caught up in her emotions to catch the response. Nathan shook his head. "Everyone with a long life has a few dark stains on his record. It is not my place to judge." He cut off her question. "There are two reasons I can say this. First, he told us the truth about himself, no matter how hard it was. Second, I know that even demons can change."

Diana weighed his reasoning. She knew that she could not in good conscience disagree, especially since she was the demon Nathan referred to. She let out a painful sigh. "I know this was my idea. I just wish we could have found Methos instead of ... Death."

The statement surprised Nathan. After all the hints she had dropped, he found it difficult to believe that she had not actually put one and one together. "You mean you didn't know? Adam is Methos."

If Nathan had been surprised, Diana was in shock. "One of the most feared names in demon legend was also Death?" She did not know what to make of the information. Methos was nothing like she expected. He was nearly powerful enough to decide the outcome of the War single-handed, yet he sat back and did nothing for three millennia. Did Methos even know what side he was on? Did Diana?

Her husband feigned blind loyalty to his Teacher. There was more to the story than Diana might ever learn. Why did Nathan keep his own past secret? What "dark stains" could even compare? "I need time to think this over," she told him. The energy seemed to waft out of Nathan. The weight of the conversation had taken so much out of him, even if Diana was not sure of the reasons. "I am going back to the hotel. Are you coming?"

Nathan shook his head. "I still have more questions for my Teacher."

She closed her eyes, almost as if she had expected that answer. After so many centuries, having a measure of insight into Nathan's mind should not have surprised her. Or was it something else? "Then I will meet you there." Diana kissed her husband, the weight of the day's revelations heavy on her mind.

Xxxxx

Hours passed before Nathan finally found Methos. He had no complaints about the time. It would have taken much longer if Methos were actually hiding, plus Nathan had been given the opportunity to think things through. He knocked on the apartment door that was the source of the Buzz.

Methos answered with a scowl on his face. "Come to gloat at your former Teacher?" He noticed the conspicuous absence. "Where is Diana?"

Nathan noted the dark night sky through a hallway window. "Probably keeping down the local vampire population. Can we talk?"

Methos stepped aside, his false anger suddenly gone. "Beer?"

"Sure."

After they were both seated, Methos in more of a sprawl than a normal sitting position, the eldest Immortal asked, "What's on your mind?"

Nathan fingered the beer bottle. He was relieved that Methos thought better of him than to accuse Nathan of being judgmental. The only judge that matter for most people was oneself, something that Nathan had come to believe sometime after Diana entered his life. He answered Methos with honesty. "Genghis Khan. If the he had been involved with demons, the world would still be his."

"Who says he wasn't?" Methos asked in a knowing tone. The question would have gotten a rise out of MacLeod, but Nathan just laughed.

"I do. I made weapons for his army, I would have noticed."

"Are you sure?" His tone seemed to suggest that there was more to the world than Nathan's observations, but he left it at that. "I wasn't there," the eldest Immortal admitted. "You joined Genghis Khan's army? I thought you had moved to China." Nathan's weak gaze told him all he needed to know. Men had been forced from lands throughout all of history. "I see where this is going. You think I started the Horsemen for vengeance." The Old Man smirked. "You should know the truth by now. Any student of mine who survived this long has to be smart enough."

"Nothing can be summed up in one word," Nathan answered automatically.

Methos nodded his praise. "Good and evil haven't concerned me in a long time. When I became Methos five thousand years ago, I left such trivial notions behind." His eyes belied the off-handed tone. "You can thank Duncan MacLeod for bringing back my conscience."

The two Immortals finished their beers. Another question nagged at Nathan, one that had to be answered before he asked Methos for help. The empty beer bottle gave him the courage to ask. "Is it wrong to bring Immortals back into the fight against demonkind?"

Methos shrugged. "You have been a priest and a rabbi. If one person in this room should be able to answer that question..."

Nathan smirked. "You still have spies everywhere, don't you? How much do you know?"

"I know Cyrus Tegyr sent an Immortal named Laurette in your direction. I know Diana is the only vampire in history with a transmuted soul."

A certain word caught Nathan's attention more than the explanation about Laurette. "Transmuted?"

Methos nodded. He had figured out the mystery that plagued Nathan, Diana, and Cyrus. "Diana's demon – her vampiric essence – was changed. It takes centuries before a vampire can access her true abilities. A combination of her age and yours apparently tapped your abilities subconsciously. It could only have worked if you felt very strongly about one another." As the amazement started to clear off Nathan's face, Methos explained, "I've been researching since I heard about your wife. This is mostly theory, but it seems to fit. That was what you wanted to learn from me."

Nathan smirked. For once, he knew something his Teacher did not, and it felt good. "Not exactly. Diana and I can do a lot of things we know nothing about. We need training, and you were the only candidate I could come up with."

Amusement lit Methos' face. It had been a long time since he acted in the capacity of Teacher, but Nathaniel ben Yitzhak was not exactly a new student. They were old friends, in the truest sense of the word "old." He agreed under the condition that Nathan pay for all of Methos' beer for a month.

Xxxxx

Nathan made it back to the hotel shortly before daylight. Diana was awake from worry, and she greeted him with a hug that cracked his spine. It was more painful than therapeutic. "Thank ... thank you for being safe." There had been hesitation, as if she was trying to figure out just who was responsible for his wellbeing. Perhaps a reexamination of Faith was in order.

"Always," he promised. He was promising a lot, lately. Nathan hoped that there would not come a time where his promises could not be kept. Immortality meant that the breaking a promise was inevitable, but he was prepared to do everything in his power for Diana's sake. "Methos agreed to teach both of us, if we'll have him. If the answer is no, we can leave Seacouver right now."

Diana sucked in a breath at the decision her husband dropped on her lap. Part of her was surprised that she could inhale so deeply. The rest of her concentrated on coming up with a final word. "Alright. If you trust him, I will, too." She kissed his cheek. "I can't shake the feeling that we stepped into a much larger world."

Nathan wrapped his arms around her in comfort. "We have." The words did not do much for her sense of danger on the horizon. His arms reminded her that she was not alone, and Diana clung to that thought for all she was worth.

Xxxxx

Two Weeks Later...

With a renowned Immortal like the Highlander in town, Nathan could not help but spar with him. Duncan was an excellent fighter, decidedly more talented than Nathan. If one Immortal had a chance at winning the Prize, it was Duncan MacLeod. Too bad "the Prize" was a chance to challenge Methos for his head. "I haven't had a conversation about religion since we last met. You taught me an important lesson in tolerance, Duncan."

"But not humility, I see," Duncan quipped.

Nathan shrugged and raised his saber. "I am here to teach and learn. So should you be."

In seven matches, Nathan won only two.

"That's enough humiliation, I think." Nathan winced before he spoke again. "I hate to say it, but there are a few combat styles I know that would plug some holes in your defense. I know one from Mongolia that could have stopped my last win. Are you interested?"

Duncan, who constantly expanded his combat repertoire, accepted the offer. "It's strange to think of Immortals as allies instead of potential threats."

"Very strange," Nathan agreed. Even though he had forewarning in the form of Cyrus, Methos' story confirmed it. Immortals were allies. He had to repeat the words to himself in his mind to keep the knowledge real. "I only have a fortnight before I have to return to Buffalo. We'll see how much you can learn in that time." It amazed Nathan that Duncan was so talented, and it scared him that the younger Immortal was nowhere near his peak. In another four hundred years, Duncan might be the most powerful Immortal in history.

"What are you here to learn, Nathan?"

He almost did not answer. He had lied to Methos as well as himself earlier; Nathan had come to learn about the source of Diana's heartbeat. Now his stay in Seacouver was nothing but an excuse to stay away from home, as opposed to a source of knowledge about his Immortal abilities. Nathan's children were too frightening to face. "I don't know yet. That is why I am here." Not exactly a lie, but Nathan felt guilty about the secret he buried.

Xxxxx

January, 2005

Diana felt relieved to finally leave Seacouver. Methos had given her a starting point in discovering her power, and the month spent was enough to get a glimpse at her potential. It was a little disturbing to think that she could read thoughts. For now she had to lock gazes with her target, but there was a reason to think that the limitation was temporary: she could enter Nathan's thoughts almost at will. Which was another thing that bothered her. Diana had unconsciously tapped Nathan's mind for months since her resurrection to the point that it had affected her personality. At least now she would be herself once more.

Nathan asked her to drive the Lotus home, an unusual request. Several hours out of Seacouver, she finally asked about it. "We were both a bit preoccupied in Seacouver. When was the last time we talked?"

He was slow to answer. "I did not know we still needed to talk. Six hundred years is a long time to get to know someone."

Diana gently bit her tongue with a fang to keep back an angry retort. "I'm not good enough at mind-reading to figure out what is bothering you."

He glared at his wife before Nathan gave up and turned back to the window. "I'm starting to think that it was a mistake to bring the others into out home."

"Starting to?" It was only then that she realized her earlier doubts about Lau, Tabitha, and Eve were echoes of Nathan's fears. She had never thought twice about their loyalty to the family. No, "doubts" was too weak a word. Nathan had serious fears about them that remained after lifetimes of living together. "What do you mean?"

This was not a conversation Nathan ever wanted to have, but now he was locked into it. "We took them in because we wanted to be closer, to have something of our own that will last." He licked his lips. The last reason was always the most painful to admit. "And because we can't have children."

"You were very lonely," Diana was quick to point out. "And I could hardly Sire a vampire for us to raise. I remember thinking how wrong that would be, though I never questioned why. My demon may have ... transmuted by then." Diana looked away from the road to check her husband's expression. "What are you worried about, exactly?"

He answered immediately, as if the words came from his subconscious and bypassed the active thought processes. "I am worried that we expect them to be something they are not. Demons are evil by nature. None of the others sought out family life; they clung to us because we are stronger than they are. It took a lot of devotion for you to stick with me for six hundred years. That is a very rare thing. How can I possibly believe that Lau, Tabi, and Eve are the same?"

She did not look convinced by his reasoning. Nathan let his eyes fall across the scenery for an answer that would reach her. "Lau and Eve worry me most. Promise me you will be careful. I twill be centuries before any of them has the power to transmute. Until then, the vampires we call our children are still motivated by the same things as any other vampire."

Diana did not respond to Nathan's request. The topic did not come up again until the reached the Buffalo city limits. "Does falling in love really make so much a difference?"

Nathan took her hand. "You heard my Teacher. 'Every vampire is unique.' Not all of them are capable of that kind of devotion."

As much as she hated to admit it, Nathan was right. How many of their children were pretenders?


	5. Chapter 5, While You Were Out II

Interlude II – While You Were Out – November, 2004

Stas was still unused to civilization. Especially at night the city seemed a bit beyond his comprehension. He did know that vampires were in Buffalo, but the only ones of concern were those in Flynn's employ.

He came across a group of vampires almost by accident. A brush against the skin revealed a hand that was too cold for even the colder months of Buffalo. Stas had his _shashka_ blade out in an instant.

The vampire and his two companions moved back almost as one. "I'm not in the mood to teach an Immortal a lesson," the Asian vampire warned.

The words were a warning bell in Stas's ear, and he made the logical conclusion. "You know what I am?"

"Of course we know," one of the females said. "We lived with an Immortal long enough to recognize a trench coat and sword."

Stas brandished his weapon. "You can tell Flynn that we won't all be his victims. If you survive." Stas attacked, but his _shashka_ was blocked by a katana the Asian vampire had drawn from a hidden place. The presence of a sword surprised Stas enough that he was almost immediately put on the defensive. His opponent was considerably stronger and faster, and Stas quickly found himself overwhelmed. Maybe if he had not been caught off-guard by the vampire's sword? – No. Stas was constantly being put off-balance by the vampire's larger repertoire of sword techniques. He was going to lose to a _vampire_. When the sword cut through Stas's neck, he could not have been more surprised.

"Who is Flynn?" Tabitha asked, even as the Immortal's body fell to the ground. Since there was no Immortal nearby, the normally violent Quickening was simply soaked up by the ground.

"I don't know," Lau replied. "But he sounds like someone I want to meet."


End file.
